Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the law college gang-rape case — in which students allegedly linked to the ruling Trinamool Congress are involved — the West Bengal government faced further embarrassment today as the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI probe into the murder of three BJP workers in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas district that happened six years ago.
The murders, allegedly committed in 2019, had links to Shahjahan Sheikh, who has since been suspended from the Trinamool Congress.
Justice Joy Sengupta of the High Court passed the order, directing the Central Bureau of Investigation to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to handle the case.
On June 8, 2019, residents of Sandeshkhali — Pradeep Mondal, Debdas Mondal, and Sukanta Mondal — were allegedly murdered. All three were BJP workers. Shahjahan Sheikh’s name reportedly appeared in the initial chargesheet, but when the case was later handed over to the CID, his name was dropped — a move the victims’ families have strongly contested.
Notably, Shahjahan’s name had also appeared in the chargesheet of another murder case in 2022, although he was later granted bail.
In one of the incidents from June 2019, armed miscreants allegedly attacked the home of Pradeep Mondal in the Bhangaipara area of Sandeshkhali. According to the family, Pradeep, the second son in his family, was chased down and shot dead.
The attackers also targeted the house of his cousin, Sukanta Mondal, and allegedly killed him in a similar manner. Around the same time, Debdas Mondal, another resident of Sandeshkhali, was also reportedly murdered.
Earlier in 2024, during a raid related to a ration distribution scam, ED (Enforcement Directorate) officials and paramilitary personnel were allegedly attacked at Shahjahan Sheikh’s residence. He was later arrested in connection with that incident.
Following the attack on the ED, a large section of the local population in Sandeshkhali began protesting against Shahjahan and his close aides. Allegations surfaced accusing them of illegal occupation of agricultural land, converting the land into fisheries, failing to pay lease amounts, and even of sexually abusing local women.
The accusations sparked widespread protests, with the BJP and other opposition parties taking to the streets. Amid mounting pressure, the Trinamool Congress suspended Shahjahan Sheikh from the party.
Speaking to the media, Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhiakri said, “The families are not happy with the investigation conducted by the state CID. The main accused including Shahjahan Seikh has not mentioned in the chargesheet. We will provide legal help to the families.”
“There is a possibility that the families might be targeted and so they had asked for help. We have shifted all the family members to a safe house and they will stay there as long as they can,” Adhikari added. UNI XC
